Agility and Directed Energy
Epirus was honored to host the Honorable Heidi Shyu, Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the U.S. Department of Defense, on December 1 at our Torrance, California headquarters.
In her Technological Vision for an Era of Competition, USD Shyu emphasizes that “effective competition” with the United States’ adversaries “requires agility – in initiating new technology development, rapid experimentation in relevant mission requirements, and rapid transition to the users.”
Throughout the course of live demonstrations of Epirus’ directed energy capabilities and a tour of the company’s facilities, USD Shyu’s insightful questions and invested collaboration embodied the Department’s commitment to embracing an agile mindset and advancing directed energy capabilities that can level the playing field for near-term conflict.
As a critical technology area outlined in USD Shyu’s vision, directed energy, where high-power microwave (HPM) technology lives, serves a critical and unique role in the stated intent for “precision disruption, damage, or destruction of military targets at range” to counter diverse threats such as UAS and UAS swarms.
Agile engineering practices have enabled Epirus to rapidly develop multiple HPM systems in three years, dramatically increasing the power output of each system with every iteration. With a software-backbone, solid-state amplifiers, and modular architecture, Epirus’ Leonidas systems mark a paradigm shift in HPM technology, allowing HPM to be surgically precise, prosecute a broad range of targets, and comprise a wide variety of form factors — all while enhancing safety for the operator, the surrounding environment, and blue force assets.
During USD Shyu’s visit, Epirus demonstrated the development and performance of these capabilities in our state-of-the-art anechoic chamber, demonstrating our shared commitment to filling critical operational gaps in the counter-UAS, counter-swarm, and electronic attack domains.
Against the backdrop of the China’s rapid military modernization and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United States cannot afford to hesitate when it comes to rapid experimentation, development, and prototyping of technological innovation.
Epirus stands ready to continue harnessing the power of the innovation ecosystem and collaborating with key partners to maintain the U.S. military’s technological overmatch by equipping the Department with the innovative technology it needs to tackle the most pressing threats of today and tomorrow.
